Burnout, often referred to as the silent epidemic, is both a people killer and a career killer. In 2022, it was on the rise globally with 43% of employees reporting burnout. It continued to rise in 2023 when a staggering 62% of employees said they hit the wall from the weight of burnout. According to SHRM, workplace burnout is not new—but is worsening in 2024. SHRM’s 2024 Employee Mental Health Research Series reports that 44 % of 1,405 surveyed U.S. employees feel burned out at work, 45% feel “emotionally drained” from their work, and 51% feel “used up” at the end of the workday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially classified burnout as a medical diagnosis defined by “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Burnout leads to mental distance from the job, energy depletion and exhaustion, reduced productivity and decrease in the company’s bottom line.
What Is Creative Burnout?
The creative sector has seen massive growth in the past few years, but unfortunately, it, too, is reporting increasing burnout rates known as “creative burnout,” showing up in certain fields. It’s harder to detect creative burnout because it’s masked by creative endeavors due to the nature of the profession.
You could have creative burnout and not even realize it. According to Emily Bradley, head of operations for Fatjoe, creative burnout is on the rise in the marketing industry alone, where 56% have feared the risk of burnout in their careers She adds that among content creators, the percentage is even higher, citing a new survey published by Martech Edge, showing that 73% of respondents experience burnout at least occasionally.
With high levels of burnout and fear of burnout, Bradley is taking a closer look at the growing threat it poses in the industry. She says that Google Trends data shows searches for words like “Burnout Symptoms” are up 19% from the same time three years ago and nine percent from the same time this year. Bradley predicts that creative burnout is only going to get worse as work-life separation gets harder due to the nature of creative jobs.
She observes that creative burnout is becoming more prevalent as more people are working in the creative sector more than ever before. “One of the main reasons for this burnout is that, as creative individuals, there’s a difficulty in ‘switching off.’ There’s a strong overlap between personal and professional creativity that can make it harder to maintain a good work-life balance.”
She believes that unlike other professions, the creative field is highly volatile, requiring individuals to consistently produce new, original content, often in response to rapidly changing trends. “The need to stay on top of shifting consumer preferences, algorithms and digital platforms can create a never-ending cycle of pressure,” Bradley explains. “If you couple this with increased screen time, working from home and the fact that some people have creative side hustles, you conclude that burnout is inevitable unless something changes.” But how do you identify the signs?
How To Identify The Signs Of Burnout Creatives
“There are a lot of lingering resentments that can build up over time when you’re working as a creative,” Bradley states. “Paired with the pressure of having to continuously innovate and perform, it’s a lot. The most important thing is to catch it early, which is why we’ve also looked at ways of identifying burnout.” She shares five tell-tale signs:
- Commonly feeling fatigued. If you feel like you’re frequently exhausted, even after resting, this could be a key sign.
- Worsening performance at work. Having trouble completing tasks you have done before and decreasing productivity.
- Emotional detachment. A feeling of disconnection from the work you do and the team you’re in and increased cynicism.
- Increased irritability. Experiencing more emotional reactions to minor issues or constant frustration.
- Health issues. Many common issues, like headaches, muscle pain, trouble sleeping and changes in appetite could be a sign of the stress leading up to burnout.
Five Ways To Avoid Creative Burnout
Bradley insists that creative burnout can be prevented, but it requires recognition on the part of both employers and employees. She listed five ways to avoid this disabling condition.
- Set clear boundaries. Establish a better work-life balance by ensuring you have a set start and end time for work, including regular breaks.
- Prioritizing self-care. Taking time for yourself, your hobbies, exercise and other ways to relax.
- Take time offline. A lot of creatives and marketers could refresh by ensuring they don’t spend all day at their screens.
- Connect with others. Fostering connections with people both inside and outside your workplace can help greatly.
- Address your stressors. Advocate for yourself at work and speak up if you feel unfair demands or pressures are being put on you.
“Noticing and mitigating burnout shouldn’t just be the responsibility of the workers. Leaders need to recognize and act on this growing threat,” Bradley concludes. “Take a proactive approach to workload issues. Touch base with your team to hear their difficulties directly. Be empathetic to their challenges, rather than simply seeing them as an obstacle.”